


Royal blue

by Anonymous



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Dark SBI, Gen, It's fine until later chapers, Kidnapping, Overprotective, Possessive Behavior, Stockholm Syndrome, The SBI are royals, Toby Smith | Tubbo-centric, Violence, Winged TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-20
Updated: 2021-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-28 23:53:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30147525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Tubbo is a young baker. After a busy week, he finds himself at the castle.The royal family seem quite friendly, and before long, he feels like a part of it.But is there more to them than what meets the eye? Follow Tubbo as he gets himself in trouble.(This is based on the on that one animatic of 'Let us adore you' with the SBI)
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 55
Kudos: 223
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired also by all the royalty fanfics out there.

Tubbo never stayed in a place for too long. It was hard to make a living, especially for a 16 year old. But he survived this long, with or without someone to guide him.

This doesn't mean the situation he’s in is any less worse. There’s a strong burning smell, and people scream in anguish all around him. Tubbo closes his eyes, trying to stop it.

He presses a hand against his mouth, listening in to the sound of footsteps. He’s pressed against a counter, trying to keep still. His eyes search for any anything of use, landing on a sword a few feet away from him.

He quietly crawls towards it, freezing when the sound of footsteps land on the doorway. He peeks around the corner.

There’s a guard standing on the doorway. Their armor seems to be made of iron, decorated with hints of blue. They’re holding a shield, where a flag is painted. Tubbo's eyes fixate on the symbol. The flag is dark blue, with a light blue line running down its middle. A white circle is in its center, surrounded by spikes.

The guard turns their head in his direction and Tubbo hides. He holds his breath, tears threatening to spill.

There are heavy footsteps slowly coming to his direction. Tubbo's eyes shoot to the sword. His mind is going miles a minute.

He suddenly runs towards it, bending and picking it up from the ground. The guard makes a noise of surprise, holding up their shield.

Tubbo holds the sword tightly, raising it threateningly. He looks behind the guard to the door. His only way of exit is being blocked.

The guard yells, raising his sword and slashing at Tubbo. The teen manages to hold his sword up just in time to defend himself. The two swords clash.

The guard takes a step back, before hitting Tubbo again. Tubbo keeps a tight grip on his sword, holding it like a lifeline.

The attacks just keep on. The sword is being brought down, and Tubbo jumps back just in time. He can feel the sword cutting the air just inches from his skin.

His movements are sluggish compared to the precise hits of his opponents. He steps back, trying to maintain distance. The guard only takes a step forward, preparing for another attack.

Tubbo uses their moment of preparation to quickly take a hold of a chair. He throws it with all his might towards his opponent.

The guard brings their shield up, momentarily reeling from the impact. That’s all Tubbo needed.

He shoots towards the door, taking his enemy by surprise. He is only steps away when he feels a sword cutting his arm. He doesn’t stop, stumbling to the outside.

He doesn’t stop to look at his surroundings. The strong smell of smoke and burning flesh hits his nose. There are screams all around him. Some of them are of pure and unmasked fear, likely meeting their demise. The others are angry shouts of the guards, undeniably directed at him.

Tubbo keeps running, never once looking back. He does his best to evade the people and the burning buildings. He races to the edge of the town.

The buildings give way to a forest, but Tubbo doesn’t stop. By the thundering footsteps behind him, he knows they haven’t stopped chasing him either.

He runs, and he feels the low branches hitting his skin. There is more than one time where the rocks underneath his feet are loose, causing him to stumble. The noises only come closer, so he ignores the pain and runs faster.

The forest seems to be endless, every turn indistinguishable. The threes and bushes are the only things he sees, almost a refreshing sight from the burning buildings he left behind.

No matter how much he runs, they keep following him. Tubbo feels a few tears slip. Is this how he dies?

The trees eventually gives way into a open clearing. He searches for a way to escape, eyes widening when they land on a river.

“Stop!” Someone behind him shouts. Tubbo ignores them, shooting to the river.

When he is close enough, he jumps in. He can almost feel a sword slicing at the spot he was on just more seconds ago.

He doesn’t have time to think, head being enveloped by water. He swims up, coughing. Tubbo desperately tries to keep above water.

The noises are father away. He looks behind him, and sees the guards stopped, likely dropping their pursuit.

Tubbo doesn’t have time to celebrate, sinking again. He swims to the surface, the river pushing him away.

Tubbo is being dragged around, barely managing to keep himself above water. He tries to swim to the side.

He takes deep breaths, eyes darting around. The water is freezing. His whole body hurts, and his arm burns from the cut he received . His movements are sluggish, and he’s starting to spend more time under water.

He finds a big rock a few meters away. He swims closer, preparing to hold onto it.

His body hurts in the impact. He still manages to hold onto the rock, even when the river pushes against him. He takes a moment to recollect himself before pushing himself up. He almost falls back down again, but manages to get on top of the rock.

He pants. His breath hitches as he tries to stop the pain in his arm. He needs something to treat his wounds.

He then looks to the side. The land is not that far away from him.

He steps on some smaller rocks, hopping on them. He stumbles and falls, his head hitting solid ground. He only feels a sharp pain before his world grows dark.

* * *

Tubbo's world slowly comes into focus. His whole body hurts, so he keeps his eyes closed.

The earth beneath him is hard, likely contributing to his pain. He wearily sits up.

When he opens his eyes, he sees the forest around him. He looks back, and sees the river running its course. Yesterday’s events come crashing onto him.

He groans, head in his hands. Why did everything have to go that bad? His life was good enough without guards threatening to kill him.

He sighs, rubbing his eyes. Bow he doesn’t have a home anymore. He looks up towards the forest. He guesses this must be his new home now. He just hopes he can survive.

He stands up, brushing some leaves away from his hair. His clothes are humid but not that wet, probably having dried over night.

He takes a step away from the river. His body is weak, but he moves on. Soon, he’s already far from the river, taking slow but steady steps.

The sun lights his way above him. There are sounds all around him, twigs snapping, birds singing.

He walks, keeping his head low. It seems like he stopped in time. He can’t differentiate one tree from another. Is he walking in circles?

Finally, the scenery starts to change. There is soon snow crunching beneath his feet, and the sky has a dull shade.

Tubbo brings his arms close to his body. He takes shaky steps forward.

His worn out shoes don’t do much to protect his feet, letting the snow freeze him. His body starts to numb, and it’s a fight to even take a step forward.

He sees some markings on a tree. Someone must be close. Or it might be a bear, who knows?

A house comes into view. Tubbo sighs in relief.

The house has seen better days. The wood creaks beneath his feet as he takes a step into the porch.

He knocks on the door. He then stills, waiting for the sound of footsteps. Silence meets him.

He pushes the door open. It opens with some difficulty, and he enters the house. The light shines in through a broken window. Tubbo can see a kitchen, a living room, and another corridor.

In the living room there is only a table and a broken chair. Tubbo steps closer, running a hand though the table. He turns towards his hands, seeing dust coat his fingers.

Tubbo then turns to the kitchen. There is a counter and some broken cabinets. He checks to see if there’s any food, but doesn’t find any.

He then goes into the corridor. At the end, there’s a door. Tubbo cautiously opens it, as if expecting someone at the other side.

The room is dark, the only light coming though the door. He can only see the faint outline of objects, like a bed and a closet. He goes to the window, pushing it open.

It’s with a lot of effort that the window opens, light shining in. Tubbo tries to open it fully, but it’s stuck. Oh well.

He finds a knife on the floor. He picks it up, cutting a strip of his shirt. He looks towards his arm.

The wound is shallow. He ties the cloth around it, covering it.

Tubbo then lies on the bed. He ignores his hurting muscles, instead opting to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Tubbo wakes up slowly. He sits up. His body aches, but the pain isn’t as bad as the day before. However, his throat is dry and his stomach screams in protest.

Tubbo checks the room around him. There isn’t much stuff. It’s as if everything of value was taken from the house.

He looks underneath the bed. He reaches his hand out, grasping onto something. He pulls it out, revealing a small bag. He opens it, letting a few copper coins fall out.

He smiles. Maybe there is hope for food, after all. He puts them back into the bag.

He then leaves the house, closing the door behind him. He begins his walk, hopefully in the direction of a town. There’s seemingly a path carved out in the dirt, and he follows it closely.

The sounds of nature are replaced by the sounds of people. Tubbo looks up, and sees he’s surrounded by houses instead of trees.

He cheers. Some people close to him look at him weirdly. He ignores them, instead opting to search for a market place.

He looks around, and sees the houses are small. He figures this must be a small village, and not an important city. He does see some people in armor walking around. His breath hitches when he sees the flag painted on their shields. It’s the same one of the guards he escaped from.

He prays they don’t find him. Nobody seems to be paying much attention to him, though, save for a few stares. Tubbo sighs. He looks at his torn clothes, a bit of blood smeared on his skin. He must be a real sight.

He eventually finds some stalls. There is a man serving the customers. What Tubbo is interested in are the apples in a basket.

He comes closer. The man gives a few apples to a woman who dropped him a few coins. She leaves, and Tubbo takes her place.

“Hello, sir!” Tubbo greets.

The man looks at him with disgust. “What are you doing here, brat? Planning to steal?”

Tubbo shakes his head hastily. “No, I have some money. I just want to buy some apples.”

The man snorts, eyebrow raised. “Am I supposed to believe that?”

Tubbo takes out his small bag. He places four coins on the stall. “I just want an apple"

The man only stares at the money. “Six"

“What do you mean?” Tubbo asks.

“Six coins for an apple.”

Tubbo’s eyes widen. “The last costumer got more apples for less! It’s too expensive!”

The man rolls his eyes. “That’s the price for fair people" He then looks down to Tubbo, eyes filled with distaste. “And you’re not one of them.”

Tubbo takes back the money he placed on the counter. “I’m going to buy it elsewhere, then!”

The man stops his with a hand on his arm. “You buy this apple or I’ll call the guards.”

Tubbo tries to release his arm from the man’s hold, not managing to. “What do you mean? I did nothing wrong!”

“I’ll say a rat tried to steal some apples from me. They won’t believe in anything you say, and I’ll get the money anyway. I could be doing much worse, kid. I’ll give you three seconds to decide.”

Tubbo narrows his eyes. “You’re sick!”

“One" The man counts. Tubbo's eyes focus on a guard. His mind flashes back to the village. The smell of smoke hitting his nose, a sword cutting his arm.

“Two" The pain and exhaustion he felt. Tear gather on his eyes. The guard is close, one wrong move and his life will be over.

“Three-"

“Stop!”

Tubbo throws the six coins to the man. The man analyzes the money slowly, as if checking if it’s real.

He then lets go of Tubbo's arm, and Tubbo runs it. The grip will probably leave bruises. He then tosses Tubbo and apple, which he hastily catches.

“Don’t come back here, brat" The man spats, sending him a glare.

Tubbo hurriedly walks away. He checks the bag, only finding four more coins. He feels something wet and warm on his face. He runs it away when he realizes it’s tears.

He takes a shaky breath. He clenches his fists, wanting to punch something to let his frustrations out. He doesn’t, instead forcing himself to calm down.

He sees a bakery in the distance. He looks with distaste at the apple. It won’t be enough to feed him.

He goes to the bakery. He opens the door.

The place is a bit crowded. He waits and sees that it seems there is only one woman attending all the costumers. Tubbo winces in sympathy. ‘It must be hard for her.’ Tubbo tries not to feel too guilty, but his heart drops when he sees the woman trip and drop some pastries on the floor.

He moves to help, but the person is already up, scurrying to the kitchen. Tubbo waits patiently, and eventually the woman meets eyes with him. The woman has blond hair and is wearing an apron.

“Hi, what would you like to order?” She asks, smiling.

“How much for bread?”

“That would be six copper coins"

Tubbo's heart drops. “Six?” He chokes out.

The woman nods. “Yes, six.”

Tubbo looks dejectedly at his four coins. “Is there anything for four coins?”

“Well… I can make some cookies.”

Tubbo nods eagerly. “Yes, please!” And he gives her the coins. She takes them, giving him one last smile before leaving for the kitchen.

Tubbo waits patiently. The other people are too busy to notice him. Tubbo is relieved, after the incident with the apples.

After some time, the woman comes back carrying some cookies and bread. She offers them to him.

Tubbo looks at the food in distress. “I don’t have enough money for all of it.”

The woman waves him off. “It’s on the house"

“I can’t accept this. You need the money.” Tubbo doesn’t want to make another person go hungry because of him.

She only shakes her head. “I insist.”

Tubbo slowly takes it. “Thank you, then. Are you sure?”

The woman nods. “I am.” She gives sends him a smile, before leaving for the kitchen once more.

Tubbo looks at the cookies and bread he’s holding. It will last him some time. He looks back at the busy bakery. He has an idea.

He waits until all the other costumers leave, quietly munching on the cookies. Eventually, he’s the only person left.

The woman looks at him questioningly. Tubbo nervously clears his throat.

“Ma’am?”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if I could help you at the bakery?” Tubbo asks. He didn’t want to be too hopeful in case she said no. The idea is kind of exciting, really. He could get money and do something he likes, and he’d help the woman in the process. People taught him how to bake before, and he was getting quite good at it. That is, before he had to run from his previous home. Tubbo’s excitement is diminished at the memory.

The woman looks at him up and down. She frowns. “Aren’t you a little young to be working?”

“I’ve worked before” He explains. “I’m used to it.” He then looks at her in the eyes, and lets a hint of hopefulness show. “I’m quite good at baking. I swear I could help you”

The woman looks hesitant. “So, you’re interested in a job?”

“Yes ma’am” Tubbo confirms.

“Well, I guess I really need the assistance.” The woman admits, and Tubbo cheers silently. “You can come tomorrow by six. If you do a good job, I can hire you”

“I won’t disappoint you!” Tubbo reassures. He feels so happy that he got a job and helped someone in the process. He then looks at the woman and remembers something. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name” Tubbo admits.

The woman smiles reassuringly. “It’s fine. My name is Nikki. And you?”

“I’m Tubbo” Tubbo greets. “It’s a pleasure to meet you”

“The pleasure is mine” Nikki says.

The two then stay a few moments in silence. Nikki then looks at Tubbo questioningly.

“Don’t your parents expect you to be home at this hour?” She asks, a hint of curiosity in her tone.

“I don’t have parents” Tubbo says bluntly. Nikki frowns in sympathy.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know”

“It’s fine” Tubbo reassures her. “I don’t remember them much anyway.”

“Do you have a place to go to? Our someone to help you clean your wounds?” Nikki asks.

Tubbo’s eyes widen. “Oh! Don’t worry. I found an abandoned house. And I’m used to taking care of myself.”

Nikki looks like she wants to say something, but instead she sighs. “Well, I guess you must be going home now. See you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow” Tubbo gives her a smile and leaves the shop.

The sky is dark outside. ‘I really did stay out late, huh’ Tubbo thinks. He is still holding the apples and the bread. He makes his way back home. The darkness makes the path difficult but he eventually finds his way back home.

Even though he ate the cookies, his stomach still hurts. He eats one apple, trying to satisfy his hunger. It only seems to make him hungrier.

Tubbo sighs. As much as he wants to eat more, he needs to be careful with how much he eats. He doesn’t have any money to maintain himself with, so he can’t eat too much. He goes to the bed. His body feels heavy from the long day, and sleep comes almost instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo suffers a bit more.  
> Hey, at least it looks like things will be better for him from now on :)  
> I have a question, do you all prefer more space between each paragraph? As in, do you prefer the formatting in the first chapter or the second one?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you a lot for the comments! They make my day better! :D

The next day, he wakes up just before sunrise. He leaves to Nikki’s bakery.

He comes in. There aren’t any costumers yet. Nikki waves him over.

“You’re going to serve the costumers” Nikki explains. “Tell me their order and I’ll do it. Do you have a good memory?”

“I mean, I don’t think my memory is bad"

Nikki nods. “Alright. Maybe you might be able to help me with the kitchen some day.”

Tubbo smiles. “I surely hope so.”

A costumer comes in through the door. “It’s time to begin" Nikki says, going back to the kitchen.

Tubbo approaches the costumer. “What would you like to order?”

The man throws a glance at him. “Bread.”

“Is that all?”

The man stares. “Bread"

“Okay?” Tubbo says, tone uncertain. He moves into the kitchen. “The guy wants some bread.”

Nikki nods, beginning the process. While Tubbo waits for her to finish, he attends other costumers who come in. There’s all kind of orders, from pastries to bread.

“Here" Nikki gives him the bread.

Tubbo brings it to the man. “Here's your order, sir.”

The man takes the bread. He tosses Tubbo some coins, before living the bakery.

Tubbo looks back at all the other costumers waiting. He can do this.

* * *

At first, Tubbo is having a hard time. Remembering all the orders and not messing up is harder than he thought.

After some hours, he manages to get the hang of it. He’d say that he is doing quite well for his first time, actually.

Even so, by the time Nikki calls for his attention, Tubbo is exhausted.

“You can take a break" Nikki says. “Get something to eat.”

“I didn’t bring any food with me.”

Nikki looks pensive. She then grabs a loaf of bread and offers it to him. “Here, take it.”

“But I don’t have any money with me" Tubbo laments.

Nikki sends him a reassuring smile. “It’s on the house.”

Tubbo wants to protest, but he doesn’t want to upset Nikki. He takes the bread, taking a bite out of it.

“When you’re done, you can go back to work.” Nikki instructs.

Tubbo eats the loaf of bread in piece. It’s a bit bland, having nothing to put on it. But he barely ate these last few days, so he’ll take anything he could get.

After he finishes eating, he works for a few more hours, serving costumers left and right. Eventually, the costumers leave. Tubbo watches the silent shop, sitting down on a chair. Nikki comes into the room. Tubbo glances at her, and finds her clothes are a bit dirty from all the cooking.

“A big day, huh?” Tubbo asks. He was kind of sweaty, from all the running around. And a bit stressed too, but he’ll manage it.

“Yeah” Nikki admits. She then gives him a smile. “For your first time, you did well. I have no reason not to hire you”

Tubbo cheers. ‘I got a job!’ Nikki laughs at his enthusiasm.

Tubbo then wonders about something. “Hey Nikki?” He calls.

“Hm?” Nikki turns her eyes to him.

“If you don’t mind me asking, have you always worked alone?” Tubbo asks. It should have been too stressful for her to do the entire job by herself. He can’t imagine how it must have been to do it for years.

A hint of sadness crosses her eyes. “Oh, my brother used to work here. He got a job in the castle, so I have been doing things alone ever since”

“A job in the castle?” Tubbo’s eyes widen. “That’s a big opportunity.”

Nikki gives him a sad smile. “I guess it is.”

“What was your brother’s name?” Tubbo asks.

“His name is Ranboo. He is an enderman hybrid”

“He seems like a cool person”

“That’s because he was.” Nikki smiles. “He is one of the kindest people I know”

“I hope he’s doing well” Tubbo says. He sincerely hopes the best for this guy. If he’s anything like his sister, hardworking and kind, Tubbo thinks he’ll be alright.

“I hope so too”

“Do you still talk to him?” Tubbo asks.

“He sends me letters” Nikki answers.

“That’s great”

The two stay silent for a bit. Nikki then speaks up. “The day after tomorrow we’ll have a break. I can teach you a thing or two about baking”

Tubbo smiles excitedly. “Of course. That would be awesome!”

Nikki smiles at him. “It’s settled, then”

The two talk for a little bit, and Tubbo eventually leaves, bidding the baker goodbye. He gets to his house. He eats a bit of the bread. When he lays in bed, he takes some time to sleep, thinking about his day. Eventually, he closes his eyes, and sleep comes.

* * *

The next day goes out just like the other. He serves the costumers, eats some pastries and talks to Nikki a bit. As Tubbo goes to Nikki’s bakery for his third day, he starts getting excited. ‘I’ll learn how to bake!’

“Hello, Tubbo" Nikki greets. Tubbo waves. “So, are you ready to start?”

Tubbo smiles. “Yes. Let’s go"

Nikki shows him how to make some pastries. While they’re making some cookies, they talk. When they’re done the two eat.

“Delicious" Tubbo says, mouth full.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full" Nikki advises.

They talk until it’s lunch. The two eat some bread with a few toppings. It’s the best food Tubbo has eaten in a while.

“Would you like to go to town?” Nikki asks.

Tubbo smiles. “That’d be amazing, actually"

The two set out to the town. The sun is high in the sky. There are lots of people walking around.

As they walk around, Tubbo can see some posters. There is a drawing of a boy. ‘Theseus'

“What is this?” Tubbo asks, examining it closer. “Missing. If found, contact a guard immediately” He reads. The boy is smiling in the picture.

“It’s the youngest prince, Theseus.” Nikki explains. “Some say he’s been killed, other say he’s run away. The only thing that is certain is that he vanished, and they still haven’t found him”

“That must be horrible” Tubbo frowns in sympathy. “How long ago did he go missing?”

“Some months ago” Nikki says. “Rumors say that the king didn’t take his son’s disappearance well. It’s a shame that it happened, but I’m not sure if they will find the kid again.”

“I hope he comes back” Tubbo says sincerely. “His family must be worried sick about him”

“Yeah” Nikki says, but she doesn’t sound too certain. Tubbo gets the impression Nikki knows something he doesn’t. However, Tubbo doesn’t pry. If she’s keeping information for him, she must have a reason to. Even if he does admit he’s kind of curious.

Nikki finishes the tour and they go to her bakery. She explains that there are rooms upstairs, where she sleeps. She teen looks at him uncertainly.

“Tubbo?” She asks.

“Yeah?” Tubbo asks back.

“What do you think about staying here?” Nikki asks.

Tubbo’s word stops. ‘What?’ “As in, the night?” He asks.

“I was thinking you could stay here permanently” Nikki admits. “It’s been a bit lonely, and since you work here anyway, it might be easier for you. You don’t have to accept if you don’t want to!”

Tubbo is a bit nervous. “I… I think…”

“You don’t have to answer now” Nikki reassures him. “You can answer me tomorrow, if you’d like”

Tubbo calms down a bit. He gives Nikki a shaky smile. “Yeah, that would help a bit.”

“Great” Nikki gives him a reassuring smile. “Now, how about we make some pastries for your trip back home?”

“I’d like that” Tubbo gives a small but sincere smile, and follow Nikki to the bakery.

That night, when he gets in his house, he considers the offer. Just before he goes to sleep, he makes his decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! And would you look at that, Tubbo suffers only a little bit :)  
> I'll probably start posting a chapter one day, not post the other, then post again


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, he leaves the abandoned house one last time. He finishes eating the bread Nikki gave him. He gets to the bakery a few minutes before it opens.

Once he gets there, Nikki is waiting for him.

“I’ll stay.” He informs.

Nikki smiles. “I’m glad. Here, let me show you to your room.”

Nikki leads him upstairs. The is a corridor with three door. She points to the first one.

“This used to be Ranboo’s room.” She explains. “But you can live here now.”

Tubbo opens the door, looking into the room. It has a decent size, a bed and a wardrobe.

“Stay right here.” Nikki instructs, leaving the room. Tubbo sits on the bed.

The woman comes back with a few wrappings, and a jar of honey. She sits down beside him, taking off the wrappings on Tubbo's arm. She then dips her hand into the jar of honey.

She gently lets a bit of honey onto Tubbo’s arm, gently rubbing it. Tubbo winces. She then cleans it and wraps his arm again.

“I’ll buy you more clothes" Nikki says, taking the jar of honey and moving towards the door. “Once you’re well, come work downstairs.”

* * *

He eventually gets used to the routine. He wakes up before six, takes a break to eat, and works till the shop closes. He started eating a lot more than when he initially got to this kingdom, which is good.

Nikki also bought him new clothes. His favorite one is a green shirt.

He spends some weeks like this. Nikki becomes his friend. She teaches him how to bake bread and some new kinds of pastries. She’s very nice to him, and Tubbo counts himself as lucky for getting here.

One day Tubbo is serving some costumers. Tubbo usually doesn’t try to listen to people’s conversations; they might be private, after all.

“Did you know the king’s birthday is coming up?” He hears a woman ask. That gets his attention. He starts listening in as he moves around the room.

“I did! I heard he will make a celebration!” A man answers. A celebration, huh?

“And they say it will be beautiful! And a lot of delicious food, I presume. It’s a shame we won’t be able to attend to the main celebration, as it’s too far from here.” The woman laments.

“I’m sure there will be smaller celebrations here too! But I admit it would be nice if we could visit the castle. I would be satisfied for the rest of my life.”

“But we would never be invited” The woman says. “We don’t have the social status required. Oh well, at least things will be more lively for a while. ”

Tubbo moves to the kitchen, so he doesn’t hear the rest of the conversation. When he gets there Nikki seems to be finishing a cake.

“Oh, a cake!” Tubbo chirps.

Nikki gives him a smile in greeting and gives the cake some finishing touches.

“Nikki” Tubbo calls Nikki’s attention. She turns to him, head tilted. “Did you know about the king’s birthday?”

Nikki nods. “Ranboo told me about it. There will have this big party with lots of food. The problem is they don’t have enough people in the palace to cook all of it.”

“Do these jobs offer a lot of money?” Tubbo asks curiously. Does the castle underpay their employees?

“They pay a lot. I almost wish I could participate, the money would help.”

“You can’t go because of the bakery, right?” Tubbo asks. Nikki nods. “Well, it’s a shame.”

Nikki gives him the cake. “And why don’t you go to the castle?”

Tubbo freezes, almost dropping the cake. He tries to regain his voice. “T-The castle?”

“Yeah. It’s a great opportunity for a boy like you"

Tubbo's mind flashes with memories from the attack. The guards setting fire to his town. Their raising shields and sharp swords.

“W-won't they k-kill me?”

Nikki frowns at Tubbo's reaction. “Why are you so worried? I promise nothing bad will happen.”

Tubbo runs a shaky hand through his hair, the other holding tightly onto the cake. “Do they really accept people like me?” He asks quietly.

Nikki nods. “Well, you’d probably not have a high position, but they need all help they can get.”

“Don't they kill poor people?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Nothing.” Tubbo mutters, looking away.

Nikki sighs. “Whatever it is, we can talk about it later. We work for now, okay?”

Tubbo nods. “Yeah…”

Tubbo can’t focus on work after that. His mind flashes with the flag of the Antarctic Empire. The same people who destroyed his village are commemorating. How can they? How they can not care when so many people lost their life needlessly?

Tubbo curses himself for actually considering the offer. Nikki has a lot of work to run the bakery. The money could seriously help her. But it’s at the cost of his safety. Is it really worth it?

“-you hear me?” Tubbo snaps into focus. There’s a costumer staring at him impatiently.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying again?” Tubbo asks.

The costumer sighs. “I’d like to order some cookies.”

Tubbo nods. “Right, I’ll be right back.”

Tubbo comes into the kitchen. "Someone ordered cookies.”

Nikki hums. She turns and gives him bread. “Go deliver this order"

He does, and the day goes on. Tubbo stares as the last customer leaves the bakery. He looks at the sky outside, becoming lost in thought.

“Is everything alright?” Nikki asks, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“I… I've made my decision.” Tubbo says.

Nikki tilts her head. “On what?”

“I will work at the castle.” Tubbo grits out.

Nikki’s brow furrows. “It’s fine if you don’t want to.”

Tubbo shakes his head. “The best way for me to help is if I go. I’ll be fine, like you said.”

Nikki gives him a reassuring smile. “Well, then, I’m sure you’ll be fine. And speaking about that, do you wish to stay there permanently?”

“No, of course not! I’ll only be there for the commemoration, and then I’ll come back.” Tubbo reassures. “I’ll get a good amount of money working and then I’ll leave.”

“I’ll give a letter to Ranboo asking if you could go there. Just, be careful if you do get accepted.” Nikki tells him.

“I’ll take care of myself. They wouldn’t have any reason to hurt me, right?” Tubbo gives her an unsure smile.

Nikki smiles. “Well, I’m sure it will be fine.”

“I hope so”

The next day goes on fairly normal. The day after that, however he’s being shaken awake.

“Ranboo said you can go. It’s better if you go as soon as possible.” She explains. She exits the room.

Tubbo takes a deep breath, steadying himself. He then gets dressed and goes out of the room. He finds Nikki in the kitchen.

“You can go now" She says. “Take some of your belongings with you.”

Tubbo doesn’t really have much stuff. He grabs a few clothes Nikki has gifted to him and leaves, waving Nikki goodbye.

He finds a horseman and pays him to bring him to the castle. When he is close enough, they drop him off. The closest to the center of the kingdom, the more snow. And it’s also kind of dark.

Tubbo goes walking. He shivers. His clothes weren’t meant for this weather. He gets to the gates and there are some guards standing there.

Tubbo freezes. They’re all holding swords, some even have a bow and arrow. And most have a shield as well, with the symbol Tubbo came to associate to the Antarctic Empire.

One of them turns to him. Tubbo takes a few deep breaths, trying to keep calm. He tells himself over and over that they have no reason to hurt him.

“M-my name is Tubbo. Um, Ranboo c-called me here"

The guard looks him up and down silently. The guard whispers something to the other. Tubbo’s face pales.

The gates finally open. Tubbo sighs in relief and comes in. The castle is huge, bigger than any building Tubbo has ever seen. Tubbo comes in and sees big halls. He passes through some guards, and starts to get nervous. How is he supposed to know where to go.

“Excuse me?” Someone touches his arm, and he turns. There’s a guy beside him, a mask covering his mouth. ‘He’s really tall’ Tubbo realizes, looking up at him. “Are you lost?” The guy asks.

“Yeah, actually” Tubbo admits. “I’m looking for Ranboo”

“That would be me” The stranger- Ranboo- greets. “I suppose you’re Tubbo, then?”

“Yes” Tubbo confirms.

“Follow me. I’ll show you around"

Tubbo follows Ranboo. He does his best to memorize the way. He can’t help but marvel at the corridors. They’re so well kept, he feels filthy even standing there.

“This is the kitchen" Ranboo says, pointing to a door. Tubbo looks in and yes, it’s a kitchen. There are some people moving about. And there is so much stuff to look at, not to mention the delicious looking food they’re making. Ranboo gestures for him to follow.

They eventually get to another door. “This is the room where you sleep. You’ll have to share it, though"

Tubbo nods. “At least I won’t have to sleep on the floor.” He then turns towards Ranboo again. “Are there any tips you would like to give me?”

Ranboo looks pensive. “Only stay in this corner of the castle. If you somehow find yourself in the presence of nobles, keep your head low. Try not to be seen, stick to your work.”

“Alright. I’ll try to remember that.” Tubbo doesn’t have any intention of letting himself be seen. Especially by the people who put him in this situation in the first place.

“I must be going now. My room is a bit far from here" Ranboo points down the corridor. “If you have any troubles, come find me.”

Tubbo nods, and Ranboo leaves. Tubbo comes into his room.

It’s small, almost smaller than his room at Nikki’s. Tubbo doesn’t mind, he’s used to sleeping in small spaces.

There are two beds and a closet. There is also one guy sitting on one bed. He wears a blue mask and has antlers.

“Hello” Tubbo greets. The man looks at him and waves.

“Is someone sleeping in this bed?” Tubbo asks, pointing to the other bed. The man shakes his head. He puts his clothes in the closet.

Tubbo then lays down in his bed. It’s not too long before he falls asleep.

* * *

The next day, he wakes up. He gets dressed in his nicest clothes, which are just a simple green shirt and blue pants. When he is done, he hears someone knock on the door. He opens it, and there’s Ranboo.

“Let’s go.” Ranboo says. Tubbo is led to the kitchen. “Ask for help from Captain Puffy.” He points to a woman that seems to be a sheep hybrid. “She is the head of the kitchen.”

Tubbo nods and Ranboo leaves the room. He approaches Captain Puffy.

“Hello.” He greets.

Puffy turns to him. “Hello there!” She greets. “How can I help you?”

“I was hired because of the king's celebration. What should I be doing right now?”

“Well, what can you do?”

“I can make quite a few pastries.” Tubbo chirps. “Cookies, cakes, tarts,…”

“Then make some pastries. We will need a lot of them for the party"

He starts preparing some pastries. He spends the day making food, Puffy helping him here and there. And of course, there were other people in the kitchen.

Puffy eventually says he can go. The windows show that it’s dark outside. He’s walking through the corridor. He tries to remember the directions Ranboo told him. Should he go left? He goes to the corridor. Now it’s right. Except, the corridor only goes left. He got lost.

Tubbo groans. He can’t believe this. He eventually walks into a corridor with many people. He decides to ask someone for direction. He touches a man’s arm, and the person turns to look at him, eyebrow raised.

“Hello, could you help me to…” Tubbo gets interrupted with the sounds of footsteps marching down the hall.

People around him start bowing. Tubbo can’t see what’s going on. He then sees three people come into the room. They have blue clothing, and it seems to be quite expensive.

“Y-your majesty!” The person closes to them sputters. Tubbo’s mind stops. ‘Holy-! Is that the king?’ Tubbo is frozen in place, looking at the three. The oldest man has blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a golden crown. He also has grey feathered wings. The other two wear silver crowns. One has his pink hair in a braid and red eyes. The other has brown hair and dark brown eyes.

A pair of blue eyes meet his. Tubbo’s heart stop when he realizes it’s the king’s. He immediately drops into a shaky bow. His mind is going haywire.

What the hell? Just how unlucky is he? He’s going to die, isn’t he? They’ll give him a slow and painful death for even looking in their direction.

He spends some seconds drowning on his thoughts. When he realizes the other people aren’t bowing, he gets up. His face is pale.

Tubbo hears someone speaking, but he can’t his mind doesn’t let him grasp the words. He keeps his eyes to the ground. He feels eyes on him but tries his best to ignore it. His heart is beating fast. Tubbo just wants this to end.

He eventually hears footsteps go away. He looks up, turning to the doorway, only to see the brown haired prince glance at him. He sputters and tries to hide behind another person. The three royals leave.

People start moving again, whispering among themselves. Tubbo’s face is pale. He probably dug his own grave. He eventually manages to calm down.

“Tubbo!” He hears a voice call. He looks to the doorway and finds Ranboo.

“Oh Ranboo, I’m so glad you’re here” Tubbo speaks quickly, voice full of relief.

Ranboo raises an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“I just saw the royal family" Tubbo explains.

“You did?” Shock is evident in Ranboo's voice. “Did you bow? Did you talk to them? Did you keep your eyes down?” Ranboo asks, frantic.

“I forgot to bow at first. And I met their eyes, Ranboo.” Tubbo grabs Ranboo’s arm and starts to shake him. “I looked at _the king_ in the eyes” Tubbo groans, running his hands wildly through his hair.

“Calm down. I’m sure it didn’t go too badly" Ranboo tries to reassure the teen. It only works a bit, as Tubbo is still agitated.

“I can’t believe this. They’re going to kill me." His fear only grows. Tubbo starts to regret all his life choices.

“You’re a kid. They wouldn't kill you for that.” Ranboo reassures him.

Tubbo is still worried. “You never know.”

Ranboo sighs. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my time here. You’re fine.” Tubbo hopes his friend is right.

The two talk for a bit and Ranboo shows Tubbo to his room. Tubbo thanks him and goes to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry if the pacing is too fast  
> But well, now Tubbo got into the castle. I'm sure nothing can go wrong :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Panic attack

Tubbo wakes up. He gets dressed and goes to the kitchen.

“Hello!” Captain puffy greets him.

“Hello! What am I supposed to do today?” Tubbo asks.

“Can you make some fruit tarts?”

Tubbo nods. “Alright, I’ll do it.”

Tubbo works for some hours. He has a small break where he can eat, so he eats some bread. He goes back to the kitchen and keeps working.

After he’s done, he goes to his room to sleep.

* * *

Tubbo wakes up in the middle of the night. He tries to sleep again, but doesn’t manage to. He decides to go to the kitchen to start his day early, maybe he will finish earlier too.

When he gets to the kitchen, he starts baking some cookies. He stops in his tracks when he hears footsteps come closer. ‘Did someone invade the castle?’ He wonders. He looks around the kitchen and grabs a pan. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.

He hides in the kitchen, and the footsteps stop right at the doorway. The door opens, and with the help of the candles, he can see a brown haired man step in. Something about him is familiar. Tubbo freezes when he realizes. He’s a _prince_.

The prince looks up at the sound of a pan falling to the ground. Tubbo didn’t even realize he let it go. Tubbo is shaking.

Tubbo’s breath catches in his throat. He doesn't even realize he’s falling until he hits the ground. He can’t breathe.

“-calm down" A voice says. Tubbo can’t focus on who they are. Something in his head screams that he should remember, but it’s just too much. The only things he knows for certain is that they want him dead. He’ll die just like the rest of his village.

“C-can't!” He chokes out.

“Yes you can! Copy my breathing.” And the person starts to breathe deeply. Tubbo does his best to follow. His breathing eventually calms, and he keeps his eyes closed, breathing deeply. He’s holding onto something with all his strength.

“Shh. That’s it, good" Tubbo feels someone rubbing circles on his back. He leans into the touch.

His mind finally snaps back into focus. The prince!

Tubbo immediately tries to get away from the person holding him. They let him, and Tubbo looks up to find the prince on the floor with him.

“You gave me quite a scare, kid.” The prince sends him a reassuring smile.

Tubbo's eyes dart around him. “W-What are y-you doing here? Especially so l-late?”

The guy smiles mischievously. “I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to get some pastries. Do you work here?”

Tubbo shakily nods. “Y-yeah…”

“Well then, how about showing me where the best pastries are?”

Tubbo stands up, the brunet standing to move beside him. Tubbo's mind is going haywire. He focuses on walking to a cabinet.

He takes out some pastries, offering them to the prince. He makes sure not to give him any of the ones he made.

The brunet takes a doughnut. He takes a bite.

“It’s really good” The prince says. “Were you the one who made this?” Tubbo shakes his head. “Well then, can I eat something you made?”

Tubbo stiffens. “A-Are you s-sure?” He asks quietly, voice cracking.

The man nods. “Come on, I’m sure it must be good.” He then gives him a smile. “It would make me happy. Wouldn’t you want that?”

Tubbo ignores his shaking hands, grabbing a fruit tart and offering it to the man. He takes a bite.

“Like I said, it’s really good.” The prince comments. “Maybe I should come here more often.”

Please don’t. “Sure" Tubbo mutters.

“Hey.” The prince calls. Tubbo looks up at him. “Aren’t you that kid we found in that corridor?”

Tubbo does his best to shrug. “Probably" He mutters quietly.

“What’s your name, kid?”

Tubbo considers if he should gives his real name or not. If he lies, the prince will surely find out, so it’s best he just tells the truth. “Tubbo.”

“Tubbo.” The man tests his name. “Well, my name is Wilbur.”

Tubbo’s eyes widen. “W-Wait. Y-You're just t-telling me your name?”

Wilbur shrugs. “You’re my friend, aren’t you? Aren’t friends supposed to know each other’s names?”

“But I’m n-not you friend.” Tubbo says confusedly. He just met this person.

Wilbur gives him a sharp smile. “But we can change that, can’t we?”

Tubbo grows nervous. The prince is quite weird. At least he doesn’t seem to want to kill him.

“And Tubbo, aren’t you a little young to be working?” The prince asks, looking at Tubbo questioningly.

“I n-need the m-money.”

The prince nods distractedly. “And what why did you try to attack me with a pan of all things? If you wanted to hurt me, why not a knife?”

“I didn’t m-mean to hurt you! I just- I thought s-someone was invading the castle or something. A-And I didn’t think, I just grabbed the f-first thing I saw" Tubbo explains hurriedly. Oh, the prince is probably going to kill him for this, won’t he?

“Relax" Wilbur says, apparently knowing of Tubbo's worries. “I won’t tell about that to anyone" Wilbur reassures. “Your secret is safe with me.”

The two stay silent for a few moments. Tubbo just wishes the prince would go away. “I must be going now" Wilbur says. “I’ll try to catch some more shut eye” Wilbur moves to the door. Before he leaves the room, he turns to Tubbo. “I’ll see you later?”

Tubbo’s stomach fills with dread at the idea of finding the royal again. “Maybe" He says instead. Wilbur shots him a smile and leaves the room.

The room is silent around Tubbo. His reality sinks in. He just talked to a prince. And the prince treated him like a friend. This day has only begun, but he already feels like it’s his strangest day yet.

The rest of the day goes normally. Tubbo does his best to completely ignore the encounter. He makes the food Puffy asks him to, and even talks to Ranboo for a bit. When he goes to sleep that day, sleep comes quickly.

The king’s birthday is less than a week away. He has to work a lot, more than he did on Nikki’s bakery.

One day before the party, he finishes the preparations earlier. He is putting the sweets away when Ranboo comes into the room.

“Ranboo!” Tubbo smiles.

Ranboo gives him a small smile. “Hey, Tubbo"

“How have you been?” Tubbo asks.

“I’ve been fine. What are you doing right now?”

“I just finished work" Tubbo says. He gets an idea. “Would you like to do something?”

Ranboo looks at him with an eyebrow raised. “Hm, okay?”

“Let’s bake!” Tubbo chirps.

Ranboo rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know how to bake.”

Tubbo smiles. “I’ll teach you! Now, let’s go"

Tubbo takes some butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. He puts them in a bowl and mixes them together. “Do you want to add the flour, Ranboo?” Ranboo adds the flour, but ends up spilling some of it over Tubbo’s shirt.

“Oh, Tubbo! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to! Let me help!” Ranboo franticly tries to wipe the flour out, but ends up making even more of a mess. Tubbo keeps his head down silently, mouth pressed into a thin line.

“Tubbo, are you okay?” Ranboo asks worriedly. In a second, Tubbo whisks the flour away from Ranboo. Ranboo doesn’t have time to react as flour flies at his clothes.

“Food fight!” Tubbo screams, throwing even more flour.

Ranboo’s frown turns into a smile. “Oh, it’s on”

The two have a playful battle, throwing flour at each other. By the time they stop, there’s hardly a spot in the kitchen left untouched. The two sit on the floor, panting and laughing.

“This is the most fun I’ve had in ages” Ranboo admits.

Tubbo gives his friend a smile. “There’s no one in the world who I would rather have a food fight with than you”

Ranboo smiles. “Why thank you, kind sir”

Tubbo looks around the room and cringes. “This will be a mess to clean”

“At least we can do it together” Ranboo speaks up. Tubbo gives him a smile. Honestly, he was expecting to have to clean this all by himself, so it will be nice to have some help.

The two finish baking the cookies. They put the pastries in the oven, and start the arduous task of cleaning the room.

The two take a long time, and eventually the cookies are ready. The two stop for a bit to eat the treats.

“They’re pretty good!” Ranboo says, mouth full.

Tubbo nods and eats another one, content. The two eat all the cookies. They get back to cleaning, and for some miracle, the kitchen actually gets clean.

“And Tubbo?” Ranboo asks while Tubbo stores away the materials they used.

“Hm?” Tubbo asks, looking up at Ranboo.

“Are you… Are you doing anything tomorrow?” Ranboo asks, nervously rubbing his hands together.

Tubbo considers it. “At the king’s celebration? Actually, I’m not. I wasn’t invited, so I was planning on staying in my room.”

“Would you like to spend the day with me?” Ranboo asks. Tubbo looks at him in surprise. Ranboo quickly tries to explain himself. “It’s just, that today was so fun, you know? And I don’t have anything to do tomorrow. So I thought it would be a good idea. You don’t have to, of course! If you have anything I won’t be bothered…” Ranboo is just rambling at this point.

“I’d love to” Tubbo interrupts Ranboo softly, giving his friend a smile. Ranboo stops his ramblings and gives a small smile back.

“I’ll fetch you in your room, then” Ranboo decides. “What about just after lunch?”

“That sounds good” Tubbo confirms. The two spends some moments in a comfortable silence. They then hear footsteps down the hall.

“I’ll go check” Ranboo walks quietly towards the door, peaking out. He gasps, and looks back towards Tubbo. “I-I must be going now” Ranboo says quickly. “See you tomorrow!” Before Tubbo has a chance to answer, Ranboo is gone from the room.

Tubbo sighs, shifting from his position on the floor. Slowly, he gets up, and moves to the door. When he gets it open, he is met face to face with Wilbur.

“Your highness!” Tubbo shouts in alarm, stepping back and dropping into a bow.

“I said you could call me Wilbur, Tubbo” Wilbur says, rolling his eyes lightly at Tubbo’s attempts at being formal. Tubbo sputters, standing up from his position.

“W-What are you doing here?” Tubbo asks, voice a bit shaky. Should he feel honored to meet the prince again? Tubbo still doesn’t have a good feeling about him yet.

“Can’t a man visit his friend?” Wilbur asks, and Tubbo’s world stops. ‘ _Was he serious when he said they were friends?_ ’

“Of course” Wilbur says, and Tubbo’s face goes red when he realized he’s said that out loud. “I still have to prove more of your pastries, of course” The brunet gives him a mischievous smile.

“Of course” Tubbo says quickly. “F-Follow me.” Tubbo takes the prince towards were the sweets are located.

“Did you clean the kitchen?” Wilbur asks, biting into a sweet. “It’s so clean”

“Yeah, I did” Tubbo admits. “I, um, got into a f-food fight”

“Oh really? Who with?” Wilbur asks, eyebrow raised.

“A friend” Tubbo says dismissively. He’s not going to rat out Ranboo’s name, in case they do get in trouble.

“Oh” Wilbur says quietly. He looks a bit disappointed. “Oh well. Actually, I wanted to ask you a question.”

“Yes?” Tubbo says, looking at the prince in curiosity.

“Would you like to go to my father’s party tomorrow?” Wilbur asks.

At that moment Tubbo’s freezes. He opens his mouth to say something, but the words don’t come out.

“You’ll be allowed to come, if that’s what you’re worried about” Wilbur starts. “And we’d get some nice clothes for you. I’m sure that with the right changes, you’d be dashing.”

“It’s… actually, that’s not the p-problem” Tubbo says. Wilbur looks at him with an eyebrow raised. “A-At least, not the only problem. I t-told my friend I w-would hang out with tomorrow. I can’t l-leave him hanging”

“I can invite him as well. Problem solved” Wilbur says.

Tubbo considers it. He said he’d spend the day with Ranboo. However, who’s to say the prince won’t be mad at him if he refuses? And there’s nowhere for him to run if that’s the case.

“Are y-you sure?” Tubbo asks with uncertainty. Just the idea of the party makes him anxious.

“I promise everything will be fine, Tubbo” Wilbur takes Tubbo’s hands in his. The prince gives him a sincere smile. “You can trust me”

“Fine, w-we can go” Tubbo relents. Wilbur cheers, and Tubbo calms down at his friend’s joy. ‘Friends.’ Can he consider him a friend?

“I promise you won’t regret this” Wilbur says, giving him a big grin. “I’ll fetch you by ten. Tell your friend beforehand, and we can bring him as well”

“Sure” Tubbo agrees.

“Now” Wilbur gives him a smile. “Why don’t we have a tour around the castle?” The prince suggests.

Tubbo’s eyes widen. “Really?”

“Of course”

Tubbo agrees, and Wilbur starts to drag him around the castle. The hallways seem like a maze, and Tubbo is sure that if the man wasn’t holding his arm he would get lost. The prince points out a few rooms and tells him their names.

They eventually get to a garden. Tubbo gasps and rushes forward, taking everything in.

“I assume you liked this, then?”

“It’s beautiful” Tubbo says. You could hardly call this a garden, with how big it is. As he walks he sees different assortments of flowers, with different colors and sizes. He recognizes some of them, from all his work with plants. However, some appear to be quite exotic, flowers he’s never seen before. It’s like a dream come true, being here.

“I can bring you here more times” Wilbur offers.

“Please do” Tubbo says, and he has a big smile on his face. He radiates happiness, actually. “This place is amazing!” Tubbo's excitement quickly replaces his previous nervousness.

Wilbur chuckles at his enthusiasm. The prince shows Tubbo around the garden, and sometimes Tubbo points to a plant and asks its name. The sky eventually begins to darken, and the two friends watch the sunset.

Tubbo sighs contently from his spot on the ground. The two had decided to sit down not too long ago. The sky is lit with starts.

“Can you tell their names?” Tubbo asks.

“That one” Wilbur points to a star. “Is called ‘star’”

“Wait, is it really?” Tubbo asks. Tubbo lets his disappointment show on his face. What an uncreative name.

Wilbur laughs at Tubbo’s expression. “Just kidding. It probably has some fancy name. I guess I’ve just never bothered to learn it”

Tubbo hums, looking at the starts. “Sometimes, I look at the stars and wonder what’s out there”

“Really” Wilbur decides to humor him, looking at his friend.

“This universe it’s so big. There’s so much stuff all around the world I’ve got yet to explore” Tubbo then looks at his friend. “I’ve been traveling since I was little. I had to learn most things by myself” Tubbo smiles. “But there’s so much I’ve yet to learn and see. And I wouldn’t have gotten this far had my life been different.”

Tubbo’s smile gains a hint of sadness. “Things happened how they were supposed to. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the journey”

Wilbur smiles. “I guess you really are feeling philosophical today, huh?”

“It’s a beautiful night” Tubbo says.

The two stay in a comfortable silence. They watch the stars, content with life.

Wilbur eventually gets up. “We must be going. We’ll have a big day tomorrow”

“You’re right” Tubbo moves to get up. Wilbur offers his hand and Tubbo takes it, and the two are now standing side by side.

“Would you like me to take you to your room?” Wilbur asks.

“You don’t need to” Tubbo wasn’t so sure about his directions, but he didn’t want to trouble the man.

The prince sighs. “Alright. Guess I’ll see you tomorrow”

“Tomorrow” Tubbo confirms, and the two part ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo met Wilbur! Now there's only two more royals he has to meet :)

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to warn you that as the tags suggest, the story will be darker, especially towards the last chapters. And it’s in no way is about the real people, only the characters.  
> If there are any tips for the story or tags you think I should add, feel free to say so in the comments.   
> I hope you enjoy the story! :D


End file.
